Animating/Representing No Huddle/Hurry Up Offense In Real Time

[Big FN Deal]

Overall I am glad to see the improvements that seem to be made in M25 (current gen) over M13. That said, I don't know how soon is too soon to be talking about what to address next but it seems to me with no huddle/hurry offenses having so much buzz, this needs to be.

I am watching the E3 videos and aside from my previously expressed disgust with all the visual preplay adjustment pop ups, the unrealistic speed/pace of the no huddle/hurry up offense in Madden is very off putting. Someone correct if I'm wrong but I believe the User can hold down a button to make players even hurry up more in the hurry up offense, something akin to the Benny Hill Show fast forward scenes. If that's the culprit that's allowing in-game Madden players to line back up at the LOS in 9-10 seconds, after the whistle ended the previous play, then it needs to be disabled.

I'm not going to take a lot of time posting countless videos but I will post two just to illustrate the point.

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In comparison to this M25 E3 video with no huddle.

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In the two real life videos you can clearly see there is an effect on the time it takes to get reset for the next play, anywhere between 13-20 seconds, from the whistle ending the previous play until the snap of the next play, based on what happened the previous play. For example, was it a run for a short gain which allows the offense to reset faster, a longer play downfield with a gang tackle and more bodies to untangle taking a little longer to get downfield/reset, did the QB need to get the play call from the sideline after the first play, etc. However in Madden it's just hold down and rush every player back to the LOS while quickly doing preplay adjustments, all within 9-10 seconds.

The no huddle/hurry up offense in Madden needs to play out at a more realistic pace and I think linking that with actual animations to account for players coming on/off the field between plays would help with the entire process. Meaning this too quick no huddle/hurry up in Madden seems to be a byproduct of the focus, at least at one time, to get a Madden game in and over with as quickly as possible versus respecting a realistic football pace.

If some gamers don't want to sit through cut scenes, graphic overlays, instant replays or whatever, that's cool but that should have nothing to do with the actual action on the field "time warping". Anyone at a live NFL game is not subjected to the same presentation elements those watching on tv are BUT the game they're watching is still being played in real time and doesn't play out faster because of it. Same should go for Madden, allow gamers to focus their attention or view whatever they want in their game play screen but still represent the actual game play in real time, no more time warps please.

[SageInfinite]

I also don't understand why they didn't implement the NCAA no huddle play calling system either.

[charter04]

Totally agree with you on these points. I got kind of sick to my stomach as I watched the E3 video and the guy running no-huddle to start the game. I know teams run no huddle, although I don't think NFL teams start the game that way but, the way it is in Madden is terrible. I don't ever run no-huddle in Madden until the very end in a 2 minute situation. Even then I don't always. It's because of how unrealistic it is. One thing the E3 videos have shown me is the guys playing there aren't very sim in their play style.

[adriano]

They should change how you can switch packages...
I remember Sega Genesis Madden (Forget which year)
when you switched packages. You had to wait for
your players to come in from sidelines.

You could not come to the LOS, until the all players are
switched out.. I loved that.. It really made you focus on
player management, when you went no huddle..
Because they jogged in from the sidelines..If you have
no timeouts, you would burn a lot of time..

GENESIS DOESSSSSS

[skabatula]

Agree 100% with the OP. This has bugged me for years.

To add to the point, I also don't like that there are times that my AI controlled defenders aren't even able to get back to the LOS before the computer snaps the ball, resulting in an offside call that I can do nothing about to stop. I've even tried swapping to control the defender who's furthest away from the LOS after a long completion, thinking my control will speed him up. But it doesn't work, and the computer offense is awarded an extra 5 yards almost every time they go no huddle after a completion.

[infemous]

You're so right man.

Sometimes whats remarkable is I can get tackled at the 1 with 11 secs remaining, call a fg and kick it with 1 sec left. that is incredible. i should struggle to get a spike to make time for a fg but no way should i be able to get a fg kicking unit on field, aligned and get all the other guys off the field within 10 seconds. its just impossible

That sort of stuff would be stopped with your approach and would further maintain the idea of making a simulation football game.

Madden straddles that commercial, arcade game with simulation too loosely and it'd be better if they committed to one idea and stop stringing both fanbases along with false hopes.

This approach to tempo and no-huddle systems should definitely be their 'gloss' strategy feature next year, while tech 'gloss' feature would be real weight+mass+velocity+everything physics implementation.

Other gameplay 'gloss' would be 150 new WR + CB animations and outcomes alongside 8 more ball trajectories and new ball physics.

Feature mode 'gloss' would be morale and interviews with draft cut scenes in CFM.

Then in years after we could things like real wear and tear injury system and body targeting etc.

Sorry to descend into wishlists but I was just getting excited if ideas such as yours with the no huddle would start making it into the game.

[SageInfinite]

Playing NCAA recently made me think of this thread since there is so much no huddle in the game this year. I think what they need to add is the refs actually placing the ball.

When you run no huddle the ball is automatically warped to it's new position. When you watch on tv the refs are scrambling to place the ball correctly and it is crucial to the offense and defense in terms of having time to get set. I think if they actually had referees handle the ball(as long as it's programmed correctly) we could see a much more realistic no huddle speed and execution. I think that's part of the reason the no huddle seems so unbalanced and unreleastic.

[adamshpe]

Can anyone absolutely confirm that the NCAA Style of no-huddle (bringing up play menu with package sets) is not in M25 on current or next gen?